A highlight of Mirassol’s surprising debut campaign in Series A of the Brazilian Championship, left-back Reinaldo dominated the main awards for the best players of the year in football.
He was elected the best in the position in the championship selection in an awards ceremony organized on Monday (8) by the CBF (Brazilian Football Confederation), in Rio de Janeiro, in addition to also winning the traditional Bola de Prata, from ESPN, and Troféu Mesa Redonda, from TV Gazeta.
In 34 matches for the Brazilian Nationals with the yellow shirt of the team from the interior of São Paulo, “Kingnaldo”, as the 36-year-old full-back is affectionately called by fans, found the net 13 times, and distributed another six assists. He was the team’s top scorer in the competition and fifth overall.
“It was a spectacular year, in which everything went well since my arrival at Mirassol”, said Reinaldo to Sheet.
“Professor Rafael Guanaes [eleito o melhor técnico do Brasileiro pela premiação da CBF] arrived and implemented his work, which, thank God, bore much fruit. Not only collective, but individual as well. My individual year was wonderful, with many goals and many assists”, added the full-back.
With spells at São Paulo and Grêmio before being announced as one of Mirassol’s main reinforcements for the 2025 season, Reinaldo recognizes that the team’s campaign in its first time competing in the first national division surprised even the group of players.
Having set as its first objective to remain in the elite, Mirassol almost always fought at the top of the table, ending the championship in fourth place, behind only Flamengo, Palmeiras and Cruzeiro.
Undefeated playing at home, the team won 18 times, drew 13 times and lost just seven in 38 rounds of the Brazilian Championship, an advantage of almost 60% of the points in dispute — the best for a team debuting in Serie A. There were 63 goals scored and only 39 conceded.
“We wouldn’t have imagined that we would go straight to the group stage of the Libertadores, remaining fourth for many, many rounds,” said Reinaldo. “It was very constant, with many high moments and few lows.”
It will be the second time that he will participate in the debut of a Brazilian team in the Libertadores. In 2017, he scored the first goal in Chapecoense’s history in continental competition from a free kick, in a 2-1 victory over Zulia, from Venezuela, away from home.
“I hope that, if it’s me, or if it’s not, Mirassol’s first victory in the Libertadores comes and that we can maintain the level of football. That’s the most important thing,” he said.
“Conquering a place in the Libertadores in the first year in the first division, for a city with just over 60 thousand inhabitants, is as if we were living a dream. I’m sure it will be very special to welcome the Libertadores to our stadium. I hope we can do well and that we can advance to the next stage.”
Despite already projecting the year 2026 with Mirassol, Reinaldo did not want to commit to staying for the next season — he had his one-year contract automatically renewed at the beginning of November, after the victory over Fluminense that guaranteed the team’s stay in Series A.
“I have one more year on my contract and I’m very happy. But, if something comes up, let’s sit down, let’s talk and see what’s good for Mirassol and what’s good for Reinaldo”, said the Brazilian’s best left-back.
“If I have to stay at Mirassol, I’ll be very happy. If I have to go somewhere, I’m sure I’ll be very happy. I hope it’s for the best.”
He added that he hopes to be able to maintain the good momentum when Brazilian football resumes, at the beginning of 2026, to keep alive the hope of still receiving a chance in Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazilian team, with a view to the upcoming World Cup.
According to the player, the new national football calendar, with the reduction of state championships and the early start of the Brazilian Championship, could contribute to a possible call for the FIFA Date in March, the last one before the final list for the World Cup.
“These are two high-level competitions that will start in January. So, if my team and I manage to maintain the level of football that we maintained this year, I’m sure I have a great chance of standing out and then I’ll be waiting to be remembered [para a seleção brasileira]”, said Reinaldo.
“The most important thing is to do an excellent job, a very good start to the season with Mirassol, so that we come back very well and can dream and be remembered”, added the player, who is now heading with his wife and children to Porto Calvo, in Alagoas, his hometown, where he will spend the holidays with his family until his return to Mirassol, on December 26th.
